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Miwa, Kazuji; Obata, Hajime*; Suzuki, Takashi
Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 57(5), p.537 - 545, 2020/05
Times Cited Count:2 Percentile:21.58(Nuclear Science & Technology)This study investigated the vertical distribution of Iodine-129 (I) which is mainly produced by European nuclear reprocessing plants in the Chukchi Sea and Bering Sea. I was found to be distributed almost uniformly in fallout level, and an increasing in I concentration levels caused by high I water inflow from the Atlantic Ocean was not observed. Additionally, we revealed the vertical distribution of iodide, one chemical form of iodine, from the Bering Shelf area to the Chukchi Sea for the first time. The increasing tendency of iodide near sea bottom was observed.
Okubo, Ayako; Obata, Hajime*; Magara, Masaaki; Kimura, Takaumi; Ogawa, Hiroshi*
Analytica Chimica Acta, 804, p.120 - 125, 2013/12
Times Cited Count:2 Percentile:7.47(Chemistry, Analytical)This work introduces a novel method of recovery of iron hydroxide using a DIAION CR-20 chelating resin column to determine Th isotopes in seawater with a sector field (SF) inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Thorium isotopes in seawater were coprecipitated with iron hydroxide, and this precipitate was sent to chelating resin column. The chelating column quantitatively collected Th with iron hydroxide in seawater at flow rates of 20-25 mL/min. Based on this flow rate, a 5 L sample was processed within 3-4 h.
Okubo, Ayako; Takeda, Shigenobu*; Obata, Hajime*
Atmospheric Research, 129-130, p.20 - 32, 2013/07
Times Cited Count:40 Percentile:71.88(Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences)To understand the atmospheric input of trace metals to surface seawaters, the total deposition samples were collected simultaneously from three coastal station in Japan. The observed flux was within the lower limit of the previous estimation based on a model. Except for Sc and Fe, all the elements showed a increasing tendency toward dissolution with decreasing the pH. We calculated the Sc-normalized enrichment factors. The increasing tendency toward dissolution with decreasing the pH was higher for Al than that of Fe.
Okubo, Ayako; Obata, Hajime*; Gamo, Toshitaka*; Yamada, Masatoshi*
Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 339-340, p.139 - 150, 2012/07
Times Cited Count:39 Percentile:72.16(Geochemistry & Geophysics)Vertical distributions of total Th and dissolved Th were determined in the mid-latitudes of the North Pacific Ocean. Th in the Pacific Ocean have been described well using the reversible-scavenging model. However, we observed the depletion of total Th. The enhanced vertical eddy diffusion derived from the complex topography of the western Pacific Ocean might promote bottom scavenging and transport of the low Th in deep water to the upper layers.
Okubo, Ayako; Obata, Hajime*; Gamo, Toshitaka*; Yamada, Masatoshi*
no journal, ,
We investigated the vertical distribution of total Th in mid latitudes of the Pacific Ocean. The west to east section of Th shows a strong gradient in the deep waters around 170 degree east and 110 degree west. At depths of 2000 to 4000 m and 4000 m to bottom within the time-scale of scavenging residence time of Th, the horizontal eddy diffusion could reach 1100 to 1400 km and 400 to 700 km, respectively. The horizontal eddy diffusion transport is too weak to affect Th distribution in the deep layers between each station in this study area.
Okubo, Ayako; Obata, Hajime*; Magara, Masaaki; Kimura, Takaumi; Ogawa, Hiroshi*
no journal, ,
This work introduces a novel method of recovery of iron hydroxide with thorium using a DIAION CR-20 chelating resin column to determine Th isotopes in seawater with a sector field (SF) inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Thorium isotopes in seawater were co-precipitated with iron hydroxide, and this precipitate was sent to chelating resin column. The chelating column quantitatively collect Th with iron hydroxide in seawater at flow rate of 20-25 mL/min. Based on this flow rate, 5 L sample was processed within 3-4 h. The aging of iron hydroxide tends to reduce the recovery of Th. The rapid collection method was successfully applied to the determination of Th and Th in open-ocean seawater samples.
Obata, Hajime*; Miwa, Kazuji*; Kondo, Yoshiko*; Gamo, Toshitaka*; Otosaka, Shigeyoshi; Suzuki, Takashi
no journal, ,
Distributions chemical species of iodine (iodide, iodate and organic iodine) in seawater were investigated in the Chukchi Sea and Bering Sea, Arctic northern marginal seas. I, which is a good tracer for anthropogenically released iodine to the marine environments, were also revealed by this study. Iodide concentrations in seawater often increased toward the seafloor. This tendency was remarkable with iodide and organic iodine, indicating that these iodine species are released from the sediments of the continental shelf. Concentrations of I ranged from 0.79 to 2.8910 atom/L. While this level was several times higher than those in the North Pacific, significant increase of I concentration due to seawater inflow from the North Atlantic was not observed. Considering latitudinal range of this study area, it can be estimated that most I detected by this study was derived by atmospheric deposition of I originates from Europe.
Miwa, Kazuji; Obata, Hajime*; Suzuki, Takashi; Otosaka, Shigeyoshi
no journal, ,
I-129 in a global environment is originated from the European nuclear fuel reprocessing plants (NFRP), Sellafield in U.K. and La Hague in France, and it is observed a large amount of I-129 inflows from European NFRP into the eastern and central Arctic Ocean. Previous studies on I-129 at surface indicated seawater with high I-129 concentration does not inflow from eastern and central Arctic Ocean to Chukchi Sea, located in western Arctic Ocean. However, there is a possibility of inflow of I-129 because the vertical distribution of I-129 has not observed at the ocean. The purpose of this study is to identify the inflow of seawater with high I-129 concentration from eastern and central Arctic Ocean by observing the vertical distribution of I-129 and water mass structure in Chukchi Sea and Bering Sea. Seawater with high temperature at surface of southern Chukchi Sea (- 66N) and with low temperature at bottom of the northern Chukchi Sea (69N -) were observed. The seawater with low temperature might include high I-129 concentration. However, I-129 concentration in some points was observed ranging from 0.79 to 2.89 (10 atoms/L), which was two orders of magnitude lower than that in the eastern and central Arctic Ocean. And no significant difference of I-129 concentration between seawater at surface and at bottom was shown. Therefore, we could not identify the inflow of seawater with high I-129 concentration from eastern and central Arctic Ocean to Chukchi Sea.
Otosaka, Shigeyoshi*; Misono, Toshiharu; Dohi, Terumi; Tsuruta, Tadahiko; Takahashi, Yoshio*; Sugihara, Naoko*; Obata, Hajime*; Ikenoue, Takahito*; Jimi, Naoto*; Hookabe, Natsumi*
no journal, ,
no abstracts in English
Otosaka, Shigeyoshi*; Aono, Tatsuo*; Fukuda, Miho*; Kambayashi, Shota*; Misono, Toshiharu; Dohi, Terumi; Tsuruta, Tadahiko; Suzuki, Takashi; Takahashi, Yoshio*; Sugihara, Naoko*; et al.
no journal, ,
While the amount of cesium-137 (Cs: half-life 30.1 years) accumulated on the seabed due to the accident of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (0.1-0.2 PBq) is only about 1 to 2% of the total amount of Cs transported to the ocean, it has been reported that it will remain for a long time in the coastal areas. On the other hand, long-term migration process of the sedimentary radiocesium and the impact on the ecosystem near the seafloor remain unknown. In this presentation, we will give an overview of the distribution and behavior of Cs, especially on the seafloor along the coast of Fukushima, and report the latest results on the processes I the seafloor that should be considered on decadal timescale.